TLDR;

• Starlink has officially launched in Ghana, allowing users to purchase a kit directly from their website for Gh¢5604.00 (hardware and shipping) and Gh¢770.00/month (unlimited internet).
• The service aims to provide connectivity to underserved areas, such as remote communities, farms, and offshore rigs, rather than replacing existing urban infrastructure.
• Starlink’s presence in Ghana is expected to drive competition, prompting local telcos and ISPs to offer better internet deals, and potentially leading to more accessible and affordable connectivity solutions in the future.

After months of waiting and constantly refreshing the Stalink availability map, they have finally officially commenced operations in Ghana, They sent out emails to all those who signed up for their pre-order when they first made announcements of planning to set up operations in Ghana.

You can now go to their official website to get a kit and ship it directly to your house without going through any third party or middleman.

 The official cost on their website is ¢770.00 a month for internet connectivity, which will be unlimited, and Gh¢5604.00 for  Hardware and shipping. 

For most people, paying ¢770.00 a month for unlimited internet is a really good deal, but they won’t take a step towards getting it because of the cost of the kit. But STARLINK is primarily meant to provide “CONNECTIVITY WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT” and not to replace Fibre and broadband options in the major cities or become that ubiquitous.

It is not their goal that every household should have a Starlink kit installed. But rather a lot of places where connectivity is & has been a major challenge up until now, get that solution. (ie. Remote areas, hinterlands, farms, on ships & boats, offshore rigs, mines & construction sites, etc) 

However, they know how good the technology & solution are such that there’s increased demand and people would want to scale it up/utilize it by diversifying into other connectivity solutions; which might be more accessible or affordable for more people.

Starlink, the satellite internet company founded by Elon Musk, has received authorization from Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) to start operations by the end of August 2024. This approval comes after several months of discussions between the NCA and SpaceX, Starlink’s parent company, primarily due to licensing and regulatory hurdles.

This milestone is viewed as a major boost for Ghana’s technological progress, given Starlink’s reputation for reliability across 102 countries.

Starlink operates using a network of low-Earth-orbit satellites that communicate with one another and with ground stations to provide high-speed, low-latency internet. This technology is well-suited for enhancing connectivity for both individuals and businesses.

Could the arrival of such a major international ISP see the local ISPs rise to the occasion, potentially leading to more innovative solutions and advancements in the sector or, would it simply blow them out of the water?

TLDR;

• OpenAI will provide the US AI Safety Institute early access to its upcoming safety test, aiming to collaborate on improving AI evaluation methods.
• OpenAI is dedicating at least 20% of its computing resources to safety initiatives, following the dissolution of its Superalignment team, though a release date for the safety test is not yet specified.
• In response to recent criticisms, OpenAI has taken steps to enhance transparency, including removing non-disparagement clauses for employees and making efforts to improve internal practices.

OpenAI has announced that it will grant the US AI Safety Institute early access to its upcoming safety test, as detailed in a tweet by OpenAI founder Sam Altman on X.

Altman explained that the aim of this early access is to collaborate on advancing the science of AI evaluations.

In the same post, Altman also emphasised OpenAI’s commitment to dedicating at least 20% of its computing resources to safety initiatives. This commitment was intended to be executed by the now-dissolved Superalignment team, which was co-led by Jan Leike, Head of Alignment, and Ilya Sutskever, co-founder and Chief Scientist of OpenAI. However, a specific release date for the safety test has yet to be announced.

Addressing recent criticisms, Altman suggested that OpenAI has taken meaningful steps to enhance transparency as part of its safety measures.

He noted, “In May, we eliminated non-disparagement clauses for both current and former employees and removed provisions that allowed OpenAI—though they were never used—to cancel vested equity. We’ve made significant efforts to rectify these issues and improve our practices.”